Teens to Create Mural in North Adams as Part of the Clark's Workshop

For Immediate Release

June 14, 2013

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA—This summer at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, a small group of young people have an opportunity to get up close and personal with a rhinoceros. Not just any rhinoceros, but The Rhinoceros, Albrecht Dürer’s well-known sixteenth century woodcut. During “Paint it BIG! Paint it PUBLIC! A Teen Mural Workshop,” participants create an eight-foot by sixteen-foot mural of Dürer’s woodcut, which will be installed for the summer in North Adams as part of the city’s annual DownStreet Art program. The workshop runs July 15-19 from 10 am to 4 pm and is open to children ages 12 to 16. Tuition is $250 ($225 for Clark members). Enrollment is limited to twelve students; call 413 458 0524 today to sign up.

Students will have a special opportunity to see Dürer’s original woodcut in the Clark’s print room and will then work with local artist Andrew Davis to scale the image to fit the mural site. At the Clark, Davis is perhaps best known for his scale models and mock-ups of exhibition spaces, which allow curators to have an idea of how an exhibition will look before they install it. Though his work typically demands that he scale down items in the Clark’s collection, for this project, Davis and the students will have to scale Dürer’s print up—way up, as the original measures only 8 1/4 by 11 5/8 inches. Davis has also been involved with the DownStreet Art program since its inception in 2008, making him particularly qualified to lead this workshop. DownStreet Art seeks to revitalize downtown North Adams by transforming it into a cultural destination and artists’ haven.

“Paint it BIG! Paint it PUBLIC!” gives participants a unique chance to work in a large-scale studio environment in the Clark’s Stone Hill Center, and students will also learn about the opportunities and challenges of creating public art. When the mural is finished, participants will be publicly honored at the mural’s unveiling on July 25.

“This really is a fantastic opportunity for these students,” said Ronna Tulgan Ostheimer, head of public education at the Clark. “To be honest, I’m a little envious of them—I wish I could sign up myself.”

Students are asked to bring their own lunch and a snack, and to dress appropriately—art can get messy!

About the Clark

Set amidst 140 acres in the Berkshires, the Clark is one of the few major art museums that also serves as a leading international center for research and scholarship. The Clark presents public and education programs and organizes groundbreaking exhibitions that advance new scholarship. The Clark’s research and academic programs include an international fellowship program and conferences. Together with Williams College, the Clark sponsors one of the nation’s leading master’s programs in art history. The Clark receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
The Clark is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The galleries are open daily in July and August (open Tuesday through Sunday from September through June), 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $15 June 1 through October 31; free November through May; and free year-round for Clark members, children 18 and younger, and students with valid ID. For more information, visitclarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303. The Clark’s library is closed for renovation through September 3, 2013.